Business Travel Tips

As you maybe know the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) currently requires that all passengers traveling with a laptop computer must remove their laptop from their bag and place it in a bin for screening.

However, beginning August 16 TSA will allow passengers to leave their laptop computers in bags that meet new “checkpoint friendly” standards.

For a bag to be considered checkpoint friendly it should meet the following standards:
- A designated laptop-only section;
- The laptop-only section completely unfolds to lay flat on the X-ray belt;
- No metal snaps, zippers or buckles inside, underneath or on top of the laptop-only section;
- No pockets on the inside or outside of the laptop-only section;
- Nothing packed in the laptop-only section other than the computer itself.

TSA reached out to manufacturers in March to design bags that will produce a clear and unobstructed image of the laptop when undergoing X-ray screening. Designs meeting this objective will enable TSA to allow laptops to remain in bags for screening. […]

There are a small percentage of bags currently on the market that meet the new standards, include sleeve-like carrying cases without pockets or zippers.[…] TSA expects the majority of new bags meeting checkpoint friendly standards to be available for purchase in mid-August. (source)